How does one "bell" a hole cut in sheetmetal or frame metal? Presumably, radiusing the edge of a hole will increase its rigidity, and it is a mark of craftsmanship. How do you do it? Call me curious.
I believe there is a tool called and extruder or extrusion die to create this look. Other than that I have no idea. You might look up exruding or extrusion die on the net and see what comes up.
i made aneat little tool for flaring a 3/4 or 5/8 hole. I forget which. I welded wheel stud to some heavy stock. I then ran a lug nut onto it. This helped center a 1 inch spacer. Then the hole is drilled the size of the stud and the lug nut driven down. The flared end pushes the sheet metal down into the spacer and flares it. Took about 1 minutes to make and works well. I have dont about 30 holes with it. Hope that makes sense. -b
i use my ball joint press with a trailer ball in one end and a peice of tubing on the other end. have also done the same in a press in thicker material.
I was wondering the same thing the other day I learned something today now! Just goes to prove if you're wondering, chances are someone else is too EDIT: FWIW, a search on the web for "punch and flare dies" will get what your looking for, I just did some searching and I wasn't having much luck with the "extruded" or "extruded dies" and such searches...
The tool you're looking for is called a "dimple die" or sometimes a "punch and flare tool". They're more commonly advertised in 4x4 magazines. Here are two sources: www.vansantent.com www.kartek.com Hope this helps.
They are called belling tools. Google it and you may find someone near you or prices on line. I believe Ron Fournier may have a source in one of his books, but that source would be quite old. I have used them and they are a bit pricey. I have made my own out of hardwood and aluminum and used a hammerforming technique with wood on belling aluminum sheet. If you have access to a lathe you can make them out of a block of aluminum for sizes that are not standard if you want to make a number of holes in harder material such as mild steel.-Jim
See ya learn new stuff every day. I've never heard them referred to as Belling tools. Dimple Dies is all we've ever caled them. I got a set from Poly Performance several years ago. Very useful set of tools if you have a 30ton press. For small holes 1/2 or so, I still use the pull through method. I took a piece of 1" pipe and cut it 1" long and welded a stack of washers on one end. Then you can push your bolt through it from the washer side. Then I made several bullet shaped piece on my lathe, and then tapped them all the way through. Now drill a hole in you project metal. Set the cup (1" pipe) over it washer side up, push the bolt through the cup, and the hole in your project. Then screw your Bullet on the end of your bolt that is protruding out from the backside of your project. Lastly hit the bolt with your impact wrech to tighten the bullet through the project metal and into the cups cavity. Make sense. For larger holes, I use my dimple dies.
Have a look here..... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5927&highlight=holes+equal+speed Cheers, Drewfus
I googled my own suggestion and came up pretty dry. I have used belling tools on racing frame components but bought the tools in California some twenty years ago. Sold them when money was short. As I said they are pricey if you can find them. Found that Irvan Smith Inc (sell racing fabricating tools etc) have a set that will cut and flare in a combination set up to 20 gauge. Try them at irvansmith.com. I have seen these elsewhere and you may find them in magazines or trade papers that cater to racing fabricators-Jim
I made one a while back for dimpling sheet metal for a Dzus fastener and I just use a hammer to bring the punch and die together. Probably wouldn't work on a frame, but maybe with an arbor press it would. Tough to get a frame in the arbor press though.
Thanks for all the information, guys. It was very helpful and informative. I'm not sure if I'll have an immediate need to do this for my projects, but now I know some ways to do it. THANKS!
there are a few good sources out there in the off road market. Dimple dies, and punch and flare are two different things punch and flare have thickness limates, and are basically for sheetmetal. Dimple dies you have to drill the hole first, and some can do THICK metal.... I have done 1/8 Chrome molly with my 2 1/2" dimple die. Kartec and others sell one set from CalPrefun, which are hardened and can handle frame material. the ones form many other shops are just for sheet metal. there are two others that I know of that can handle heavy duty stuff, but I cant find the info right now. Ill come up with it tonight. the first shot is 12ga chrome molly, the second two are thicker than 1/8" but I cant remmeber how thick
Another source of "flared hole dies" is Light Racing in Ca. Some interesting pictures on their web site on the shape of the dies. http://www.lightracing.com/lightracingToolsIntro.html Canuck
hi guys, the dimple dies are really great !! if its for a hole. i needed a flange in some sheet and did it with a hammerform. gary
If you want a 2", 3" or 4" bell, (or any size) cut off a piece of 2", 3" or 4" pipe, a few inches long, put it under the piece to be worked, and 'bell' it with a ball peen. Or make a 'bullet' out of steel or wood and start hammering it down into the pipe. I like slag kustoms idea of using a tow ball. The way you guys talk about buying extrusion dies, punch and flare dies, belling tools, and flared hole dies makes me think you must all be rich.
If you know someone with a lathe they are real easy to make. Plus you can use a arbor press,hydro or bench vice will work for sheetmetal.
Do a search from google for Barbed Wire Offroad and dimple dies. They offer sets or individual dies, in both regular and conduit punch size. They also have some punches for both regular and conduit size dimple dies... Very good price, and from what I have read, pretty good service. I know they also sell on fleabay, but haven't searched on there for awhile... I saw them mostly talked about on an off road board. No affiliation with them though... HTH Chad
If you are looking to buy a set of these, do your homework. Prices vary by a fair amount, for even the same brand of identical product.
there's several guys over on pirate4x4.com make and sell them cheap. one guy has a 7 pc set for under $200!!
Here's another idea from " kuztom "... nice cheap and simple: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4334196&postcount=54
As others have said easy to make them, I made some biggish one's in ally but they were better in steel.
A kind of redneck way we used years ago in shop with an iron worker: Punch the hole(s), then without changing the punch install an oversize die. Go back and run the punch thru the hole (carefully) and let it extrude the metal into the oversize hole below. Works best if you have a positive stop on the stroke-that way they all look alike.
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